Knee protector for overalls and other garments



lIuly 24, 1951 J. KRlNlcK 2,561,872

KNEE PROTECTOR FOR OVERALLS AND OTHER GARMENTS Filed Feb. l5, 1950 ff, 40 INVENToR.

l JOSEPH KRINICK Patented July 24, 1951 UNITED STA-Tes. l-PATErV-r OFFICE `2,561,872 KNEEPnoTEoToR Fon ovERALLs AND OTHER GARMENTS i 'Joseph Krinick, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application February 15, 1950, SerialNo. 144,259

l "This "invention `relates to new andfuseful irnlprovements in knee ,protectors for overalls, dungarees, gardeners trousers, miscellaneouswork clothes, childrens play and `valuable `knee `protector characterized `by extremesimplicity 4of construction, yet of vhighly eficient behaviorwhenin use on a garmentjwhile e4 clanes.f (or 2423) clothes, andthe like and, ,moreparticularly the aim is to providea novel being worn in Athat during walking .there `is no durinfg kneel'- foam rubber or similar padding generally, as

rhum waste of vmaterial from a sheet of rubber Vmaterial of standard thickness. More specifically :the outline of the pad ispreferably oblongovate, `so [as to present four rounded corners adjacent to each `of which one of said points is located; and at each `of said points a fastening instru` mentality Vis `carried by 'the pad whereby at all saidpoints the padmay be readily yet securely attachedto the front of a trouser leg or thetlike at `preciselythe position to insure that when a kneeling posture rally *become interposed between they surface "knee'led on and `a knee-joint of the kneeling person.

` Another `feature lof the invention resides in certain provisions made in connection with the "mia-nner of securement of said fastening instrumentalities to the pad, whereby with said instrumentalitiesinclusive of such a hard and unyieldf ing material asa metallic one, the metallthus is assumed said padmustinatuf v necessarily incorporated in the body of the pad is soplaced in possibility of'said metal being interposed between theground and the knee of the'kneeling person in ,a way to prevent immediately adjacent porfticns of the pad cushioning effect essential to perfect. comfort during, a prolonged period ofkneeling even on a pebbly or similarly nonsmooth `damp or wet piece `of, ground-even when, as now preferred,

the pad material that there is no from acting with that adequate y each. such metal instrumentality is inclusiveof an` elongate. more orless rod-like portion passing throng'hthe pad in substantially the direction. of its, thickness.v

A'further featureof the invention is the Apro- Vision, in combination with, said fasteningv in.- strumental'ities, these always carried by the pad,

vof coacting'i'astening instrumentalities carried by "the trousers or the like,

whereby the pad may be readily detachably yet securely connected to said trouser legand in anyselected one of a plurality o'flocations spaced along the length of said leg.

Still a further feature of the invention is the provision., incombnation with a pad as above,

andin combination with `fastening instrumentali- 'ti'es asabove, of a special carrying means for the said coacting fastening instrumentalities, that is,

`for `the fastening instrumentalities to Sbe. perman nentlycarried by a trouser leg or the like; with ,saidj means of'sucha naturethat, without the aid of stitching, stapling, riveting, pinning or the like, said carrying means may be permanently yet easily bonded to a garment, as at the 'front of a trouser legs of such garment, `at a placement xedalong the length of said leg so relative to the 'length thereof andso relative to the location of ,the knee-joint of the wearer relative to his leg length, that the pad when attached will itself be at an ideal placement.

"Still another feature of the invention, in a now favored wayof carrying out thesame, is the ieqi'iipfrnent of "said special carrying means with La plurality off sets of said coacting fastening instrumentalities, with one set higher than the other on said carrying means when disposed as it wouldbe .placed on a trouser leg or the like; thus to allow` of the pad at different timesto be- 'come changed in position relative to the length `ofsaid trouser leg, despite the fact that the special carrying means is, as already stated, permanently bonded to said leg at a definite placement along its length.

"For further comprehension of the invention,

erence will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims inwhich the various novel features of the protective pad `plurality of different vpossible locations along said length.

Fig.t2 is an enlarged fragmentary front ele vational view of a` knee-adjacent portion of one of said trouser legs, with the padnow secured in alower one of saidpossible locations` along the leg length.

and of theobjects and advantages thereof, `ref--` Fig. 3 shows said pad in rear elevation.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section, taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2; this view being a collective one, in that the pad here is shown detached from the trouser leg.

Fig. 5 is a rear perspective view of the same pad as in Figs. 1-4, but also showing one of two strip members for constituting the carrying means aforesaid. l y

Fig. 6k is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing said two strip members in their fixed placements on a trouser leg; with the relative position of such` a pad as that of Fig. 6 being merely indicated in dot'and dash.

Figs'l is a horizontal section, taken on theline 'l-'I of Fig. 6, with the pad of Fig. 6 now assumed to be actually present in the latter view.

Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig. 2, but in perspective, showing a modification of said` carrying means, and also indicating, in dot and dash, two possible locations for the upper end portion of a pad, such as the` pad of Fig. 5.' l

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but in perspective, showing the rear side of a 4pad like the pad illustrated in Figs. 2 7, but with the fastening instrumentalities'v carried by the pad shown in modified form.

Fig. 10 is a, fragmentary detail section, taken on the line IIJ-IU of Fig. 9, with the pad shown as attached to a trousers legby aid of theV instrumentalities last-named.

Fig.' 11 is a view similar to Fig. 2, Showing the front side of a pad modification, and also Showing ythe fastening yinstrumentalities carried by the pad, said instrumentalities in a further modified form.

Fig. l2 is a fragmentary detail section, taken on the line I2-I2 of Fig. l1.

Referring now` to the drawings more in detail, and first to Figs.v 1,-4, here, as illustrative of any garment, mens, womens or childrens, which it may be desired to have served by one or more knee protectors pursuant to the invention, there is shown in Fig. l a conventional pair of work trousers I5. 'One of the two legs of said trousers,

Athese designated` I6, is-fragmentarily shown in Figs. 2 and4; these leg portions being portions at the front ofthe trousers adjacent to the knee location.

The two paden shown inv Fig. 1 may be asvsumed tobe alike; and, as best seen from Figs. 2 4, each pad is comprised ofr a rectangular sheet of a single material, with said sheet oblongovate in outline, and substantially all over of uniform thickness; said'material, as already stated, being foam or sponge rubber or similar padding.

Permanently mounted on each pad I1, adja- `cent to each of its four rounded corners I8, is

a snap `fastener element I9. This fastening instrumentality I9 is preferably one of the socket type, and to meet yall situations arising from possible severe separational strains relative to the snap fastener, each instrumentality I9 is one of a rather large size, as, for instance, one

' having yits socket dimensioned to take the post portion of the coacting fastening instrumentality when the said post portion has Aa diameter of the order of one-quarter inch. Standard metallic snap fasteners areemployed, for economy;

f and', as well known; the socket element of such 4 the outer side of the pad Il, is sunk well down in the body of the pad, this being made possible by the high compressibility of the pad material, and being consequent upon the fact that said rod-like shank portion is of a length much less than the normal thickness of the pad; thereby to set up a condition such that, with said socket structure clenched in the familiar way to said shank portion at its end remote from its said head, the latter will lie at the bottom of a fairly deep well-like depression (23, Fig. 4), in the outer side of the pad.

In order to insure that such well-like depressions'will all .persist at the outer side of the pad, a pair of tapes or strips 24, or full size tapes the` same size or a little larger than the pad,

of a somewhat flexible material yet one of considerably less limpness relative to easy flexure than the material of which the pad is made, are secured to the .pad at the rear thereof and along its two sides. LThese elements 24 perform satisfactorily when, for instance, they are made of 4a textile material such as duck or the like, but if desired, these elements 24 may be entirely 25` eliminated.

With the four fastening instrumentalities I9 `secured to the pad, by way of suitable apertures in the pad and also by way of matching apertures in said strips or tapes, and by coupling ythe metallic parts so that they are arranged as in 4 consequent upon the operation whereby a socket structure 22 is clenched to a shank por- ,tion 20, the atwise face engagement of the strips 2'4with considerable areas of therear side of the pad insuresthat the depressions 23 will be "established and persist at the front side of Athe pad.

Asa result, insurance is always had that, with .a pad in use between thevknee of a person and the ground, an instrumentality I9 may not y transmit a sensible thrust against the knee; this ,for the reason that the pad must be compressed to an extent to cause virtual temporary disappearance ofthe depression23 at said instrumentality before said thrust may be transmitted llengthwisely of said instrumentality.

-At the front of each trouser leg I6, the aforesaid coacting fastening instrumentalities, these designated 25, are permanently secured; suitably spacedso that four of said instrumentalities 25 .are couplable with the instrumentalities I9.

With the latter socket-type snap fastener elements as above, said instrumentalities 25 are post-type snap fastener elements of correspond' ,ing size, having their posts (26, Fig. 4) outywardly directed relative to the front of a trouser leg. In the present case, six of the fastener elements 25 kare shown as carried by each trouser leg I6; these elements so placed that when desired a pad I'I may be attached to said leg as shown in Fig. l, that is, at a higher level, or as shown in Fig. 2, that is, at a lower level.

Referring Vto the modification illustrated in Figs. 5 7, the pad here illustrated, as indicatedV by the use. of the same reference numerals as in Figs. 1-4, is identical with thepad previously described; and the coacting fasteningV instrumentalities are also the same as above described. These snap fastener elements 25,` however, instead of being secured directly to a trouser leg I6, are secured to a special carrying means. Said means is comprised of a pair of tapes or strips 21, or a piece of cloth the same size as the pad, which may be made of a sheet material such as specified above. for the tapes 0r strips 24. Said.,

strips 2T `are `coated on ftheirrear sides with an adhesive of any of the well-known kinderen dered temporarily tacky or thermoplastic -by application of a heated iron, thereby, and following 4cessation of the heat application and conseqiient setting of said adhesive to `beconrrejpermanently secured, as indicated in Fig. 7, to the outer front side of `a trouser leg lili at a selected placement along the length of said leg, `or `the strips 2i' may heattached to the trouser legs iii by stitching, stapling, or 1in any other manner. These strips 2'! are herein shown, by way of example, as each carrying merely two ofthe snap fastener elements 25 or if a full size :piece cloth is used, all four snap fasteners will be mounted' on `that piece of cloth.

Fig. .8 illustrates a modication, in that for eachtrouserleg lli, the strips Ztl provided, corresponding to the strips il', are .of greater length and sufficiently so that each strip 2i? may carry properly spaced Itherealong a .great enough plurality of the snap fastener `elements 25 `to allow some `only thereof to be used according `as a pad. il' is `at any time desired to be readily detachably placed at a higher level (as with .its upper portion disposed as indicated at Ha) or at a lower level (as with `its upper por tion disposed as indicated at lib) relativelto the iixed placements `of the strips 2li. In the present case, by way of example, three of the elements are shown as carried by each .strip.28.

In the modificationlof Figs 9 and 10, the same pad Il again is shown, and pierced, also, near its four corners. Here, however, in eachof Said piercings is a metal rivet 23 having oifset from. itsannular head iii? `a tubular shank 3l.

In order to establish at the u.outer side of the pad, at each of `the :four rivet locations, a `welllike depression (23') for functioning as does a depression 23, the end ofleach of the rivet Shanks 3i! which is opposite to the rivets annular head im is spread as shown `at 3i in Fig. l0 to become headed over ametal washer 33. Such `a washer is, on the one hand, of a suiiciently large rdiam eter, and each rivet, on the other hand, is of suiliciently short length, to predetermine :that a depression 2li' will be of adequate .depth, and, at the same time, to insure that an oppositely located depression, this at the `hack ,of the pad, will be established, as indicated at 34,110 assist in obtaining a wholly protective burial of the hard metal parts within the pad.

Each of the four fastening instrumentalities carried by the is shown as of a :familiar type of split-shank metal fastener` 35. In Fig. l10 the halves of the shanl: marked these extended from a diskelike head 3l. With said head engaging the lhead 3i! `ci the adjacent hollow rivet, and with said shank extending through said rivet, the free end `portions of said shank halves may be piercingly advanced through the material of a trouser leg llt, and then spread, as shown `in Fig. -10,-cot ter pin fashion. Desire-bly, `a second washer 38 is employed at the location shown in Fig. 10.

In Figs. 11 andlZ, a pad il' is shown which is like the pads previously described, except that the pad il is substantially squarely rectanguoi said fastener are lar, it is more elongate horizontally than -ivertically, and it is made of a single piece Voffsponge or 4foam rubber or similar padding material- The pad Il', near each of its four corners, has a `slot 3Q therethrough. Each of the four fas toning :instrumentalities carried by the pad, these also preferably of metal, incorporates a struc- `along a 'bottom l 6 ture l0 'at the outer end of which is a familiar typepf spring-'closed double-'jaw clam-p 4l, with itsjaws int/erpivoted as at 42, and with the upper jaw extended asanger-lpiece i3 to be deliberately `dizpressed.when it is desired to release the clamp. The lower jaw is integral with a band-like tail piece M which, after being passed through onew'ofi the slots 39. is adapted to `be, `linally bentias shown in Fig. l2, that is, to be :bentfon itselfto establish a bight to pass through said slot, then further bent `.upwardly jength to compress the material of the pad and so establish a `knee-.protective depression flii at the back of the pad, and then terminally "bent upward as at 4l to lock the `structure 4l to the pad.

In applying 'the pad to a trouser leg,r i6,v the material of the latter is pleatingly reversely folded on itself as illustrated,l to present pleatsI 48, one for engagement by the two vclamps dl at one side of 'the pad and the other for engagement by the vtwo clamps 'lll at the other side of the pad, inthe manner shown. The ma-` terial used V.for .theinaking of the structure All will have some reliliency, when, for instance, such material is half-soft spring brass; and, therefore, the bottornlength 'l5 oftail piece 4.4 will elasticallyswing upward when required, coactiva behavior `relative to the `protective function, of the depression lili.

It is to be understood that of :thepads |17 may be altered as desired..

While I have illustratedand `described the preferred `embodiments `of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not precise `construe-tions `and `materials herein disclosed and the .right is reserved to Y-all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention., `what I claim` as new, and desire to secure by United States. Letters Patent is:

l. A :kneecushioning and protective appliance for thus functioning when combined with a garment and when the wearer of such garment assumes -a kneeling posture, said appliance compricing ,a slab-like `pad of rubber of .the kind stated, or a similar padding material, means for attaching #the pad to a knee-adjacent `portion of saidgarmentiat the exterior thereof, said means comprising a `plurality of readily detachable fasteni-ng instrumentalities carried by the ,parl at spaced points .along a line conforming substantially-to `the Vperimeter of the pad, said instrumentalities being so constituted as to be many times less compressible than the pad and in corporating elongate `portions `extending through the pad in substantially `the direction of its thickness, and `means associated withsaid in- ,Strumentalities and clenched to the pad in anl arrangement such that at one side of the pad a well-like depression is established opposite to and surroundingly of I lines of vthrust from the ground along the lengths. of said elongate portions.

2. A .knee cushioning and protective appliance for thus functioning when combined with a garment and when the wearer of such garment assumes a .kneeling posture, `said. appliance conin prising `a. slab-like pad of rubber `of the kind stated, or fa Similar padding material, means for attaching the ``pad to a knee-adjacent portion of said garment at the exterior thereof, said means comprising .apluralityof readily vdetachable fastening nstrumentalites carried yby the pad at as would be the case the shape and size limit myself to theY 7: spaced points along a line conforming substantially to the perimeter of thepad, said instrumentalities being so constituted as to be many times less compress1ble'than the pad and incorporating elongate portions extending through the pad in substantially the direction of its thickness, and means associated with said instrumentalities and clenched to the pad in an arrangement such that at one side of the pad a well-like depression is established opposite to and surroundingly of lines of thrust from the ground along the lengths of said elongate por-y comprising a plurality of readily detachable fastening nstrumentalities carried by the pad at spaced points along a line conforming substantially to the perimeter of the pad, said instrumentalities being so constituted as to, be many times less compressible than the pad and incorporating elongate portions extending through the pad in substantially the direction of its thickness, and means associated with said instrumentalities and clenched to the pad in an arrangement such that at one side of the pad a Welllike depression is established opposite tdand surroundingly of lines of thrust from the ground along the lengths of said elongateportions, the means last-named including portions of said instrumentalities and sheet-like members made of a material less freely flexible than the pad, said members being at the'back of the pad and arranged to cross said lines of thrust.

4. A knee cushioning and protective appliance for thus functioning when combined with a garment and when the wearer of such garment assumes a kneeling posture, said appliance comprising a slab-like pad of rubber of the kind stated, or similar padding material, means for attaching the pad to a knee-adjacent portion of said garment at the exterior thereof, said means comprising a plurality of readily detachable fastening instrumentalities carried by the pad at spaced points along a line conforming substantially to the perimeter of the pad, said instrumentalities being so constituted as to be many times less compressible than the pad and incorporating elongate portions extending through the pad in substantially the direction of its thickness, and means associated with said instrumentalities and clenched to the pad in an arrangement such that at one side of the pad a well-like depression is established opposite to and surroundthe ingly of lines of thrust from the ground along lengths of said elongate portions, the means lastnamed including portions of said instrumentalities and sheet-like members made of a material 8, for thus functioning when combined with a garment and when the wearer of such garment assumes a kneeling posture, said appliance comprising a slab-like pad of rubber of the kind stated, or similar padding material, means for attaching the pad yto a knee-adjacent portion of said garment-at the exterior thereof, said means comprising a plurality of readily detachable fastening instrumentalities carried by the pad at spaced points along a line conforming substantially to the perimeter of the pad, said instrumentalities being so constituted as to be many times less compressible than the pad and incorporating elongate portions extending through the pad in substantially the direction of its thickness, and means associated with said instrumentalities and clenched to the pad in an arrangement such that at one side of the pad a well-like depression is established opposite to and surroundingly of lines of thrust from the ground along the lengths of said elongate portions, the means last-named including portions lof said instrumentalities yand sheet-like members made of a material less freely flexible than the pad, said members being at the back of the pad and arranged to cross saidrlines of thrust, each of said instrumentalities being one of the cooperant elements of a snap fastener, these for coaction with the other elements of said snap fasteners where an appropriate set of the latter is` carried by a knee-location portion of said garment at the exterior thereof, the first-named snap fastener elements being socket type ones, and the second-named snap fastener elements being post type ones.

6. A knee cushioning and protective appliance for thus functioning when combined with a garment and when the wearer of such garment assumes a kneeling posture, said appliance comprising a slab-like pad of rubber of the kind stated, or similar padding material, means vfor attaching the pad to a knee-adjacent portion of said garment at the exterior thereof, said means comprising a plurality of readily detachable fastening instrumentalities carried by thepad at spaced points along a line conforming substantially to the 'perimeter of the pad, said instrumentalities being so constituted as to be many times less compressible than the pad and incorporating elongate portions extending through the pad in substantially the direction of its thickness, and means associated'with said instrumentalities and clenched to the pad in an arrangement such that at one side of the pad a welllikedepression is established opposite to and surroundingly of lines of thrust from the ground k along the lengths of said elongate portions, the

means last-namedincluding portions of said instrumentalities and sheet-like members made of a material less freely exible than the pad, said members being at the back of the pad and arf ranged to cross said lines of thrust,veach of said less freely flexible than the pad, said members being at the back of the pad and arranged to cross said lines of thrust, each of said instrumentalities being one of the cooperant elements of a'sn'ap fastener, these for coaction with the other elements of said snap fasteners where an appropriate set of the latter is carried by a knee-location portion of said garment at the exterior thereof. l

5. A knee cushioning and protective appliance instrumentalities being one of the cooperant elements of a snap fastener, these for coaction with the other elements of said snap fasteners where an Vappropriate set of the latter is carried by a knee-location portion of said garment at the exterior thereof, there being a direct carrying means for said second-named snap fastener elements, said carrying means incorporating a plurality of strip-like sheet members or onesheet i v member the same size as said pad and carrying a plurality of said second-named snap fastener elements, said sheet members or sheet member being attached to a knee-location portion of said garment at the exterior thereof thereby to have said garment portion permanently indirectly carry said second-named snap fastener elements, being coated, at their sides opposite to the sides thereof from which are projected the Working ends of said second-named snap-fastener elements, with an adhesive to bond said sheet members or sheet member to said garment portion.

7. A knee cushioning and protective appliance for thus functioning when combined with a garment and when the wearer of such garment assumes a kneeling posture, said appliance comprising a slab-like pad of rubber of the kind stated or similar padding material, means for attaching the pad to a knee-adjacent portion of said garment at the exterior thereof, said means comprising a plurality of readily detachable fastening instrumentalities carried by the pad at spaced points along a line conforming substantially to the perimeter of the pad, said instrumentalities being so constituted as to be many times less compressible than the pad and incorporating elongate portions extending through the pad in substantially the direction of its thickness, and means associated with said instrumentalities and clenched to the pad in an arrangement such that at one side of the pad a well-like depression is established opposite to and surroundingly of lines of thrust from the ground along the lengths of said elongate portions, the means last-named including portions of said instrumentalities and sheet-like members made of a material less freely flexible than the pad, said members being at the back of the pad and arranged to cross said lines of thrust, each of said instrumentalities being one of the cooperant elements ofa snap fastener, these for coaction with the other elements of said snap fasteners where an appropriate set of the latter is carried by a knee-location portion of said garment at the exterior thereof, there being a direct carrying means for said second-named snap fastener elements, said carrying means incorporating a plurality of strip-like sheet members or one sheet member the same size as said pad and carrying a plurality of said secondnamed snap fastener elements, said sheet members or sheet member being attached to a kneelocation portion of said garment at the exterior thereof thereby to have said garment portion permanently indirectly carry said second-named snap fastener elements', being coated, at their sides opposite to the sides thereof from which are projected the working ends of said secondnamed snap fastener elements, with an adhesive to bond said sheet members or sheet member to said garment portion, the snap fastener elements carried by Said sheet members or sheet member being in a greater plurality than the total of snap fastener elements carried by the pad, and said elements carried by said sheet members or sheet member, being so spaced on Ithe former that with said sheet members bonded to said garment portion one group of the last-named elements may be coupled to the elements carried by the pad to locate the latter at a higher level on said garment and another group of the elements carried y by said sheet members or sheet member may be coupled to the elements carried by the pad to locate the latter at a lower levelon said garment.

8. A knee cushioning and protective appliance for thus functioning when combined with a garment and when the wearer of such garment assumes a kneeling posture, comprising a slablike pad of soft rubber or a similar padding material, and means for removably attaching the pad to a knee-adjacent portion of the garment at the exterior thereof, said removable attaching means comprising a plurality of fastening instrumentalities mounted on the back face of said pad, a sheet-like member, adhesive means securing said sheet-like member to the knee-adjacent portion of the garment, and a plurality of complementary fastening instrumentalities carried by said sheet-like member to be engaged by the fastening instrumentalities mounted on said pad.

9. A knee cushioning and protective appliance for thus functioning when combined with a garment and when the wearer of such garment assumes a kneeling posture, comprising a slablike pad of soft rubber or a similar padding material, and means for removably attaching the pad to a knee-adjacent portion of the garment at the exterior thereof, said removable attaching means comprising a plurality of fastening instrumentalities mounted on the back face of said pad, a sheet-like member, adhesive means securing said sheet-like member to the linee-adjacent portion of the garment, and a plurality of complementary fastening instrumentalities carried by said sheet-like member to be engaged by the fastening instrumentalities mounted on said pad, said fastening instrumentalities being complementary snap fastener elements.

JOSEPH KRINICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record .in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

